Stellenbosch FC Head of Youth, Jean-Pierre Farrugia, has shared his reflections following the conclusion of the 2025 youth league season.

Operating from U-12 to U-18 age group levels, the Stellenbosch FC Academy enjoyed another memorable season in terms of on-field performances and the development of the next generation of Stellenbosch FC players.

Stellies’ U-12s started their season by winning the De Beers tournament, which set the tone for them to go and achieve a club-record second-place finish in the Two Oceans LFA log standings, losing out only on goal difference to champions Ubuntu.

A young U-14s team were similarly triumphant in the De Beers, but slipped to sixth in their league table, while the U-16 side recorded an impressive runners-up finish in their age group category.

The U-18s, meanwhile, ended their campaign in third position, just three points behind the champions, and proudly saw three players promoted to the Club’s DStv Diski Challenge programme, with numerous more training with the reserves since.

A review of the 2025 youth league season

“The U-12 season was a standout for the Academy and the closest we’ve ever come to winning the league at that level,” Farrugia said.

“This was our U-12s’ best finish, and we ended up only missing out on goal difference. The season was neck-and-neck, and we only lost one match throughout the campaign, to the eventual champions.

“It’s a really big achievement for coach Terah [Thembani Mini] and his staff, and all the players involved. They’ve assembled a really strong squad, which is fundamental to what we are trying to achieve.

“We want to have a good starting point at the U-12 level from where we can hopefully have a big group that can progress through the ranks. We want to develop players of calibre who come through our system and know our culture.

Stellenbosch FC’s U-12 and U-14 teams started the 2025 season by winning the annual De Beers tournament in their respective age groups.

“Our U-14s finished a bit lower down, but they’re perhaps the youngest team, with the majority of the 18-man squad being first years (U-13). That just means we’re looking forward to what next season looks like when that quality comes together.

“We always knew this season would be a challenge, so we’re not too bothered by that, because we’re excited to see where the processes lead us with this group.”

“Our U-16s, meanwhile, enjoyed a strong end to the second half of the season. They only lost one match in the second round of fixtures after a tough start to the year, when we were still recruiting players and getting over a few injuries.

“When they got going, the coach was able to work his magic in terms of playing style, and the team really soared up the table. To end second from that position is another major credit to the coaches.

“Some of these boys will now be stepping up, and we’re really excited to see what they can do with the U-18s, who enjoyed a fairly quiet season by our high standards this time around.

“We finished third in the league and lost out in the quarter-finals of the Engen Knockout competition, so we didn’t enjoy the same league and tournament success as we did in the past, but there was notable progression of players who made the step up to the DDC.

“The likes of Luthando Vena, Rafael de Silva, Clayton Leonard, and others all made that step up, so as much as we didn’t enjoy the same on-field success, we are still happy with the progress we achieved in terms of the development of our players.

The growth of the Academy’s coaching ranks and expertise

“This year is the first time that we’ve had full-time youth coaching staff across the different age groups, and it’s wonderful to have coaches of this calibre join us in that capacity,” Farrugia said.

“We’ve presented this idea that our coaches are not ‘age division’ coaches – we don’t want them to be seen purely as a U-12 or U-14 coach and so on – they are Stellenbosch coaches.

“A lot of them have coached senior football in the past, and their contributions extend beyond their divisions. They’ve already all contributed upwards to DDC training, scouting networks, and the administrative side of things.

Sylvin Thomas (U-14), Thulani Mapoyi (U16), and Thembani Mini (U-12) – pictured below alongside Head of Academy and U-18 Head Coach, Jean-Pierre Farrugia – were all appointed as full-time SFC Academy coaches this season. 

“The direct exposure to the coaches like Coach Steve [Barker], Evangelos [Vellios], and myself, who have been here for a while, also helps to develop that culture of what the Club is about, the players we look for, and the style we want to play.

“That will bear more and more fruit as the years pass, because we like to believe that when the players reach the end of their academy careers, we can present the DDC and PSL teams with players who are ready to make that step up.

He added, “A case in point is Tylon Smith, who has gone to QPR in England, where he is able to adapt to that level of football after coming through our ranks and being taught how to be resilient and adaptable.

“The aim is to be able to produce more players of a similar nature and quality. We are already starting to reap the rewards, and I’m excited to see more come through our youth ranks.”

What is still to come in the 2025 calendar year

With the domestic youth league season now concluded, Stellenbosch FC’s various teams will wrap up the campaign by competing in their respective league knockouts and in several cup competitions throughout October and November.

Among those cup tournaments is the annual Kaapstad Cup, where three of the Academy’s teams will be competing. Stellenbosch FC will enter a combined U-12 and U-14 team to compete at the U-14 level, a combined U-14 and U-16 squad for the U-16 division, and a combined U-16 and U-18 side to challenge for the U-23 title.

Reminder: The Stellenbosch FC Academy does not host open trials and would never charge any prospective trialist any monetary fee. 

The U-16s will then wrap up their 2025 campaign by taking part in the Ashford Athletic Super Cup (formerly the 4th Moment Super Cup), which is scheduled to commence towards the end of October. Stellenbosch FC will also have an U-18 Ladies team competing in the tournament.